We’re on the hunt for the best chicken wing recipes!
We are gearing up for Spring Wing Fest 2022, and we’ve got WINGS on the brain! We can’t wait to see which food truck will have the best wings this year, and hope to see you on Saturday, March 19 at SRP Park. Chicken wings are one of our favorites for many reasons.
First of all, chicken wings are incredibly versatile. From the way they are cooked, to the sauces you can use on them, there are so many ways. There are a million combinations, sure to suit any chicken wing lover.
Parties
Secondly, chicken wings are great for parties. Of course they are great for watching sports, but honestly, chicken wings are great for any occasion. Unless someone is a vegetarian, or just doesn’t like chicken, there’s definitely a chicken wing for everyone! Chicken wings make great appetizers, or entrees. Then you’ve got the awesome wing eating competitions too. How many wings could YOU eat? Any time of the year, any occasion, chicken wings are a great choice, in our opinion.
Flavors- Options, Options, OPTIONS!
Have you ever been to a wing restaurant and been amazed at your options? There are SO many wing flavors these days. When it comes to heat, you’ve got everything from mild to extremely hot. We’ve even heard of some you have to sign a waiver to order… Yikes! Then you have more sweet and savory options, like BBQ or Teriyaki. And then there’s lemon pepper, garlic parmesan. Honestly, there’s too many to list. Some people like their wings super wet with lots of sauce, and others prefer smoked wings with a dry rub.
Cooking Chicken Wings
And when it comes to cooking chicken wings– you’ve got options there too! Everything from baking, frying, air-frying, grilling and smoking. A quick search will pull up so many recipes and cooking options… it can be quite daunting. So we decided to help you out and round up some great chicken wing recipes from the staff here at Beasley Media- Augusta. And while we know this doesn’t even scratch the surface of your options when it comes to chicken wings, if you’ve never cooked them before, it’s a good place to start!
Great Chicken Wing Recipes, Courtesy of Beasley Media
Traditional Buffalo Wings - Air Fryer or Oven
All you’ll need for this recipe is:
- Air Fryer (you can also bake or grill these, but will need to adjust temperature and cooking time)
- 1 pound of chicken wings
- Seasonings of your choice- salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, onion, garlic
- Baking POWDER- There’s something about the baking powder and how it bonds to the chicken that helps to crisp them up!
- Vegetable oil to toss wings in
Step 1: Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. You want them to be as dry as possible. Once you do that, place them in a bowl or large freezer bag and mix in the seasonings. Then pour in a small amount of oil to coat all of the wings evenly. Then place on/in air fryer rack or basket (depending on the type of air fryer you’re using).
Step 2: Put wings in the air fryer, setting the temperature to 360 degrees. Set them to cook for 12 minutes. When finished, flip wings and cook for an additional 12 minutes. This may vary depending on the size of the wings and your air fryer.
Step 3: Once the wings are done, toss in the sauce of your choice.
Here’s an easy buffalo wing sauce:
- One stick of butter (1/2 cup of butter)
- Your favorite buffalo sauce (like Frank’s or Sweet Baby Ray’s Buffalo Sauce)
- Additional hot sauce (like Texas Pete) if you want them spicier!
Melt the butter and mix in 12 ounces of your favorite sauce. Add in dashes of hot sauce until your preferred spiciness level is achieved!
* If you’re baking these, you’ll want to set the oven to 400 degrees and cook for around 40 minutes. Want crispier wings? After cooking at 400, lower the temperature to about 150 degrees and cook an additional 30 minutes+.*
Photo: Shutterstock
Greek Wings - Oven and Grill
This comes from the husband of one of our Account Executives. Rumor has it, these are the BEST Greek Wings ever!
Secret is cooking ½ of the way in the oven.. then other half on grill of your choice (charcoal is best).
Put washed chicken in a baking dish and add about ¼ inch of water. Cover liberally in Olive Oil and FRESH lemon juice.. then cover with Oregano, Celery Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder… you MUST be super liberal with the seasoning.
Cook half way and then finish cooking on the grill. Cooking in the pan helps keep the juices in.
Sprinkle with Celery Salt before serving.
Photo: Shutterstock
Brined Chicken Wings - Smoker
Thanks to recteq for this great brined chicken wings recipe. Check out more of their recipes HERE!
INGREDIENTS:
Brine:
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 bunch thyme
- 3 tbsp crushed red pepper
- 1 gal water
Dry Rub:
- 1/2 cup ground chili powder
- 2 tbsp ginger
- 2 tbsp dry mustard
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
Alabama White Sauce:
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
Chicken Wings:
- 2 dozen large wings
- Peanut oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
Brine:
In a large pot, bring water to a simmer and turn off heat. Add all ingredients and whisk until dissolved. Refrigerate until fully chilled. Submerge chicken wings in brine and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Dry Rub:
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir until combined.
Alabama White Sauce:
In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Chill.
Chicken Wings:
- Set recteq to 225°F.
- Remove brined chicken wings from liquid and pat dry.
- Add chicken wings to a large mixing bowl and evenly distribute all but 4 tbsp of dry rub.
- Smoke chicken for 2.5 hours.
- After removing chicken, heat peanut oil to 350°F in the Matador.
- Fry smoked chicken wings until crispy and just caramelized (4-6 minutes).
- Remove from Matador, shake off excess oil, and let rest for 30 seconds.
- In a mixing bowl, toss together wings and reserved dry rub.
Serve with small bowl of Alabama White Sauce.
Photo: Shutterstock
Crockpot Chicken Wings
Who doesn’t love to cook with their crockpot? It makes cooking easy, and less messy– especially when it comes to wings!
You’ll Need:
- Crockpot (preferably a 6 quart)
- 2-4 pounds of chicken wings – frozen or fresh
- Buffalo Sauce of your choice
- Additional seasoning or hot sauce for added flavor and spice
Step 1: Place chicken wings in your crockpot, and cover with your buffalo sauce and additional seasonings if desired. Make sure to coat wings thoroughly, but save some sauce for after cooking.
Step 2: If cooking frozen wings, you’ll want to cook on high for 2 1/2 hours – 3 hours. Wings should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. If cooking fresh wings, cook on low for 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours, again cooking to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Step 3: After cooking in the crockpot, remove wings and place on greased or lined baking sheet. Brush additional sauce on the wings and broil on high for 3-5 minutes on both sides to crisp the wings up. Discard liquid in the crockpot. You can always return the wings to the crockpot to keep warm for your guests!
Photo: Shutterstock
